Brazil to send delegation to request Iruan's return

CNA , ASUNCION, PARAGUAY

A Brazilian state assembly has decided to organize a delegation to visit Taiwan to encourage Taiwan's government and court to send a Taiwanese-Brazilian orphan back to Brazil, a Brazilian news agency reported Monday.

Brazil's Sao Paulo State News Agency said a group consisting of members of the state assembly of Estado de Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil will travel to Taiwan to push for the return of Iruan Ergui Wu (吳憶樺), a five-year-old boy who has been at the center of an international custody tug-of-war during the past few months.

The news agency said as Brazil does not maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the only way for Iruan to be returned to his Brazilian grandmother's guardianship is through legal proceedings.

The agency quoted the Brazilian representative to Taiwan, Paulo Pereira Pinto, as having said that Taiwan law would likely recognize the custody rights of Iruan's grandmother.

Nevertheless, the report said, it may take more than a year to finalize all court proceedings.